Odds Are
by zombified419
Summary: Working in retail isn't the worse, but working retail in a mall IS the worse. Steve has a corner café in his city's mall, has for years, and knows quite a few of the workers. Natasha, Sharon, Peggy, Darcy - and now, Bucky, the new manager of the music store. Or, in which Steve has it bad for the new guy and doesn't realize the feeling is mutual. [Stucky]
1. Chapter 1

**_HUD: I know this is like the last thing I need to be doing but I had an idea and ran with it. Sorry/not sorry. :P_**

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 _"_ _The mall will be closing in fifteen minutes…"_

Steve sighed and smiled to himself, continuing with wiping his counter down. He hummed along to the music playing over the speakers in his café, hips swaying behind the safety of the counter. It was a Tuesday, and usually on Tuesdays he and Sam went bowling after work. Dollar games and shoe rental and the bar had a special on shitty draft beer. Steve had Wednesdays off, so he could drink himself silly without remorse. It worked out.

"Hey Rogers." Steve looked up from where he had moved to wiping down the espresso machine.

"Hi Natasha," he said with a smile. The fiery redhead ran the phone kiosk between Steve's shop and the food court of the mall. She was rolling briefly on one of the hover boards that had reports of catching fire, her hands tucked into the pockets of her hoodie. "Lookin' for a night cap?"

Natasha smiled. "Not today. I was wondering if you had any plans tonight?"

Steve fought back a need to groan. Natasha was one of the first people he met after he opened his little corner café; he appreciated her company when things were slow, and her humour was refreshing. She did, however, have a tendency to try and pry into his life, specifically his dating life, after she found out that he was single.

Natasha was determined, setting Steve up on blind date after blind date. He usually just ended up with good friends, like Sharon and Peggy, but he had to give her credit where it was due. That, and Steve always had a problem turning down anything she put effort into making for him, even if it _was_ another date.

Which was why Steve was glad to know he had an actual excuse he could give her.

"I do, yeah," Steve began, turning his attention back to the machine he was cleaning. "Going bowling with Sam. You met him."

Natasha hummed. "Last week, right?" Steve nodded. "I remember. I set up his new phone plan for him. Sam Wilson?"

Steve nodded again. "Yeah."

"What're you two gonna do?" Natasha asked, swaying slightly on her board.

"Bowling," Steve answered. "You're welcome to come if you'd like."

Natasha shook her head. "I'll have to take a rain check, Rogers."

Steve nodded. "Sure thing." He looked up from his cleaning and saw someone leaning against Natasha's kiosk. "Looks like you've got a straggler."

Natasha looked over her shoulder and huffed. "Great; and old, too. It's gonna be a long one. Have a good night, Steve."

"You too!" Steve called, listening to the little whir of the fad Natasha rode fade away. He watched her smile at the older lady who already had her phone out with a somewhat distraught look on her kind face.

Steve fell back into his humming and cleaning, listening to the voices of people and their children filtering by. He turned to begin emptying the pastry case when shuffling behind him drew his attention. Steve turned with a smile before his greeting died on his lips.

Probably the hottest guy in the mall stood on the other side of Steve's counter. His hair was a deep chestnut and cut slightly shorter on the sides, the length on top falling over his forehead enough to be dashing. His eyes were a pale blue, almost grey, and Steve could only blink at him. More like the hottest guy in the _city._

"Hey, are you still open?" He asked, his voice deep but kind. Steve could only nod. The man - _James,_ his name tag read - shifted his weight from left to right, his hands shoved in the pockets of the leather jacket he wore over his dark red henley.

"What can I get you?" Steve finally asked, hoping his voice didn't sound as strangled to James as it did to him.

James smirked, his eyes dropping from the board above Steve _to_ Steve, and Steve was almost positive that James' eyes darkened slightly. "Somethin' easy for you, since I'm bein' trouble."

"You're no trouble," Steve answered automatically, cursing himself when James' eyes fell back to him again.

"Don't go sayin' that, now," he said, and Steve _knew_ he couldn't be imagining the flirtatious tone James was sporting. "Might be hard to get rid of me."

Steve just grinned back and turned to make James something simple before he said something silly like _I wouldn't complain_ or _You wouldn't be the only hard thing to get rid of_ because Steve had absolutely no chill when it came to flirting. Sam was trying to help, really, but there's only so much he can do.

Steve took a chance on making James something new that wasn't on the board. He'd been working on something for fall to compete with Starbucks' pumpkin spice latte, and James seemed like a willing test subject.

He added the finishing touches to the togo cup before sliding it across the counter to James. "What is it?"

"Try it first," Steve prompted. James quirked an eyebrow at him before lightly sniffing the coffee. Both his eyebrows rose.

"Certainly smells good," he murmured, giving Steve a thumbs up. Steve just nodded and crossed his arms over his chest as he waited.

James took a sip and the sound he made was absolutely _sinful._ Steve felt a flush rapidly creep up his neck and cheeks; James had no right to walk around looking like _that_ and making illegal noises in Steve's shop. The idea that _Steve_ had been the one to cause James to make that sound was resolutely shot down. After all, no way would a guy like James be interested in a lame ass like Steve.

"What is it?" James asked, snapping Steve back to the now.

"Marshmallow cinnamon chai latte with caramel."

James eyed the board over Steve again. "That's not on the board."

"I'm fixing it up for fall in a few weeks," Steve explained. He shifted his weight and fiddled with the towel in his hands. "So, uh, what'd ya think?"

"It's fucking amazing," James said so bluntly Steve couldn't have fought his blush if he tried. James chuckled.

"Sorry, it's really really _good,"_ he amended, making Steve laugh.

"I'll make sure to stick that review on the board when I roll it out," Steve teased, smiling. He was glad James liked his coffee; maybe he'll see him around for more.

"So, back to my earlier statement," James said after another sip. "I'm absolutely gonna be hard to get rid of now."

"That'll be just fine," Steve answered, still smiling. James just smiled back over the rim of his paper cup.

 _"_ _The Hills Mall is now closed! Have a wonderful night and a safe drive home, and we'll see you tomorrow!"_

James set his cup down and reached into his pocket. "Sorry to keep you; how much do I owe you?"

"Nothing," Steve blurted. James narrow his eyes in confusion. "It's, uh, on the house. You were doin' me a favour, so don't worry about it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, positive."

James shoved his wallet away and offered his hand instead. "My name's Bucky Barnes."

"Steve Rogers," Steve said as he took Bucky's hand in a strong grip. "It was a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," Bucky said with that flirtatious smirk again, and Steve wondered if he'd held the man's hand too long before letting it go. "You here all the time?"

"Kinda," Steve admitted sheepishly. "I'm the owner, so I'm here more than I probably should be."

"I hear ya," Bucky said. "I just took over the music store here, and it's a damn wreck. Gonna be a long few weeks, so you'll be seein' a lot of me." Bucky looked over his shoulder at a few security guards herding some teenagers out as he snapped a lid on his cup. "Well I gotta get back; got an all-nighter. Thanks for the coffee, Steve."

"You're welcome," Steve said. Bucky nodded and turned to head back into the mall. "Good luck!"

Bucky held his coffee aloft as he walked. "Thanks!"

Steve watched Bucky go until he couldn't see him from behind the counter anymore, then moved to pull his gates across _not_ as an excuse to see better. Bucky was definitely dressed the part for a music store manager - he looked like a rockstar in his leather jacket and dark skinny jeans and black boots. He walked by Natasha and offered a cheerful wave. The redhead waved back over the head of the old lady she was still helping before looking back the way Bucky had come, directly at Steve. Steve felt his face heat at the knowing smirk on Natasha's face. Steve quickly finished shutting his gates and cleaning up shop before he was late to meet Sam.

Steve had fun drinking and bowling with Sam, just like every other time. Sam took the first game, then Steve the second, and by the third they were both tipsy enough that it was too hard to keep the balls from landing in the gutter every time. Nickel drafts could make even the best bowler an amateur.

When Steve was back in his apartment, still happy and buzzed from having fun with his best friend, his mind drifted back to Bucky. He wondered what he'd look like bowling in his skinny jeans and henley; he'd bet the sleeves would be rolled up because of the heat of the building. Bucky'd look great under the colored lights, too. Steve swallowed, flopping facedown onto his pillow with a sigh.

Maybe next time he'll invite Bucky, and see for himself how Bucky's skin would look under the lights.

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 ** _A/N: Let me know what you thought and thanks for reading!_**


	2. PSA

Hey everyone - I'm sorry to have to do this, but this site just isn't cutting it for me. I have top of the line EVERYTHING, and yet I'm having the hardest time in the WORLD uploading things to this site. The other morning I had a chapter up no problem, and now I'm having the worse time. I can't file upload, I can't copy/paste; I can't even make the chapter title and then add in the body later. Anything over 3k words is a struggle, and I can't deal with it. I really can't. I've even downloaded another internet browser and I'm still having the same problem. And I swear, if it's because I have a Mac, then this site is biased. Seriously.

But aside from my mini-rant, I want to thank you all for all your comments and follows and everything you've all given me over the years. I'm still writing, and I'm on Archive of Our Own under the same handle, zombified419. You can find me there, and I hope you all do still wanna read some of my unfinished things. If you don't like that site, just follow me on tumblr, also under zombified419, if you wanna follow for updates. If any of you know a 'fix' for my issues, by all means send me a message. I'm not doing this because I want to. Thank you all so much.

I hope to see you all on ao3 or tumblr! :)

\- zombified419


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